CRYSTAL VIPER News: the new album from Poland’s CRYSTAL VIPER,Possession, will be released on Friday, December 13th, via AFM Records! See the cover artwork above!
Stone Says: NICE album cover art! Whoa! Looks like a concept album to me!? That’s my Metal guess anyways, based on the images of the album art. Such a damn fine METAL band is CRYSTAL VIPER. True Metal warriors are they. I can’t wait to hear this new CRYSTAL VIPER offering!! Whoa.
With influences ranging from White Zombie to Motorhead, Beasto Blanco’s“LIVE FAST DIE LOUD” is a full-length anthemic hard rock offering that keeps you amped on “10” from start to finish! The progeny of long time Alice Cooper bassist Chuck Garric, “LIVE FAST DIE LOUD” yields a powerful combination of heavy riffs, driving bass, and melodic choruses that are bound to stick in your head after just one listen! Beasto Blanco is quickly becoming a favorite of the music and movie industry’s most respected talents! Here is what just a few of them have to say about “LIVE FAST DIE LOUD”:
Johnny Depp: “What an honor to hear something as beastly and killer as this!!! It’s truly, truly great and wonderfully kind of life affirming! Makes one feel ownership of their being!”
Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden): “Chuck has got himself a ‘KIN’ blazing band here. “LIVE FAST DIE LOUD” from Beasto Blanco is a solid piece and rockin’ like there is no tomorrow! Well done me old china!”
Alice Cooper: “Beasto Blanco to me is an East L.A ‘Day Of The Dead’ kind of hard rock band. They seem dangerous – don’t stand too close, this is a band that I see exploding in the next few years. The “LIVE FAST DIE LOUD” video shows my grown daughter Calico crawling around like some sort of animal, which is of course, just how I remember her as a child!”
Bob Ezrin (Producer): “Chuck Garric is a modern-day monster, one of the most talented and heaviest rock musicians I’ve ever worked with!”
Mikkey Dee (Motorhead): LIVE FAST DIE LOUD is a real ass-kicker and I wouldn’t expect anything less when Chuck is at the forefront, keep slammin!
John Corabi: “I totally love “LIVE FAST DIE LOUD”! This is the real deal, it’s 100% raw energy from start to finish!”
“LIVE FAST DIE LOUD” features Chuck Garric, Calico Cooper, Glen Sobel, Jonathan Mover, Chris Latham, Tiffany Lowe and more!
Official release date is scheduled for October 29th 2013.
KILLER DWARFS – What once was old is new again. What once was forgotten is rediscovered and glistens like a full and welcomed beer keg under a moonlit sky. This beer keg being referenced is the “lost” studio album, Start @ One, from one of Canada’s greatest of Heavy Rock bands ever: KILLER DWARFS. With KILLER DWARFS new studio album Start @ One, the bright lights of Arena Rock and party like you’re 18 again magic of this 1980’s/early 90’s Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band has returned!
This album was meant to be released years ago; only the timing and circumstances surrounding it would not allow this darling batch of nine songs to see its delivery upon the Dwarf Nation. Now it’s here! Unlaced Nike high-top sneakers as my witness, this KILLER DWARFS album is as fun, entertaining and Hard Rockin’ today, as it would have been back in the day. This is an album and a band that is brimming with so much appeal. Many, many from the Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Hair Metal and Melodic Heavy Metal crowds should be stoked by the gallant return of KILLER DWARFS!
Quality Melodic Hard Rock of yesteryear will never lose it’s luster, flavor or psyche-you-out impact on me. Start @ One is proof positive of this. It’s the colorful and booming sound of KILLER DWARFS, with major league songs that have always made them so memorable and this album is once again confirmation of just that; with the band’s chemistry of good times and Rock ’till you drop attitude spilling over each song!
Russ Dwarf should now be considered in every conversation of celebrated vocalists of 80’s Hard Rock up to present day. Solid Ground, Sky Is Falling and seven other songs are my choice favorites on Start @ One… and I’m not messing around! If you’re to take my Metal advice and run with it, then, go and buy Start @ One and be reminded that KILLER DWARFS have reunited and returned to conquer the villages, rural centers and all urban dwellings, while raising the Dwarf Nation flag to more grandiose heights! Metal be thy name.
Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage,Testament & Huntress are touring North America this fall! We are honored to join these legends of metal on the road and can’t wait to meet our fans! Come find us after our set, we’ll be at merch giving away Jägermeister USA/Huntress items to our 21+ fans, taking photos & signing posters! Get your tickets now, some shows are already SOLD OUT!
HUNTRESS – STARBOUND BEAST TOUR:
Huntress Headlining Off-Dates:
Oct 15: Salt Lake City, UT @ Burts Tiki-Lounge
Oct 16: Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep w/ Battlecross (co-headline)
Oct 17: Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
Oct 20: Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s (Pirates Cove)
HUNTRESS On Tour With Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage And Testament:
10/22/13 – Toronto, ON – Kool Haus
10/23/13 – Toronto, ON – Sound Academy
10/24/13 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
10/25/13 – New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom
10/26/13 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre
10/28/13 – Columbus, OH – The LC Pavilion
10/29/13 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
10/30/13 – Chicago, IL – Congress Theater
11/01/13 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland by AMC
11/02/13 – Grand Prairie, TX – Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
11/03/13 – Socorro, TX – Socorro Entertainment Center
11/05/13 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore Auditorium
11/07/13 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
11/08/13 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
11/09/13 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
11/11/13 – Kent, WA – ShoWare Center
11/12/13 – Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
11/14/13 – Edmonton, AB – Shaw Conference Centre
11/15/13 – Calgary, AB – Big Four
11/16/13 – Saskatoon, SK – Saskatoon Prairieland Park
11/18/13 – St. Paul, MN – Myth
11/19/13 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom
11/20/13 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Orbit Room
11/22/13 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
11/23/13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
11/24/13 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
11/25/13 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
11/26/13 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Huntress Headlining Off-Dates:
Nov 29: Louisville, KY @ Phoenix Hill Tavern
Nov 30: Sauget, IL @ Pop’s Concert Venue
Dec 01: Oklahoma City, OK @ Leon’s Lounge/Chameleon Room
Dec 03: Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
HUNTRESS STARBOUND BEAST was released on July 2nd, 2013, via Napalm Records. BUY IT. PLAY IT LOUD and THANK the METAL GODS that HUNTRESS exists. Metal be thy name.
Heavy Metal gets a needed shot in the arm with the long-awaited and much-anticipated new album from BENEDICTUM’sOBEY due out for release on Frontiers Records on November 29th in Europe and December 3rd in North America. With a sound that nods to the legends of Metal such as early Rainbow, the stylings of Savatage, Warrior, Rough Cutt, and Pyschotic Waltz, along with shades of Black Sabbath; Benedictum unleashes ‘OBEY’ that will surely bring pleasure to the Gods of Heavy Metal and their legions of fans around the world!
Led by the sultry and powerful vocal gymnastics of lead singer VeronicaFreeman, whose voice has been praised on the television show, That Metal Show, on VH1 among others; BENEDICTUM displays a plethora of aggressive riffs, fierce rhythms, and powerful melodies full of delicate textures that grow spikes with shredding leads to converge at the crossroads of tradition and innovation.
The rise of BENEDICTUM began when the band caught the ear and attention of DIO guitarist Craig Goldy, who in turn had his friend Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Dio, Foreigner) check them out. With the groups raw power and pure potential just beginning to surface, Pilson then produced and recorded Benedictum’s debut album ‘UNCREATION’ in 2005. The band garnered rave reviews and won over enthusiastic fist-pumping fans rapidly. Their second album ‘SEASONS OF TRAGEDY’ released in 2008 to more undeniable Metal love from around the world. All of this led to BENEDICTUM being signed to a contract with FRONTIERS RECORDS and further upping the ante in the studio.
Check Out The BENEDICTUM OBEY EPK (Official) Below!
The band and Grammy Award winning producer Ryan Greene (Megadeth, F5, NOFX) joined forces for 2011’s ‘DOMINION’ and BENEDICTUM had arrived. The band jumped onto the world stage playing such events as Wacken Open Air Festival, Doro’s Warrior Soul Tour, HeadBangers Open Air and more. The CD was also a pick of the week by Don Jamison on That Metal Show.
Pete Wells – Founding Member/Guitarist
BENEDICTUM went through some personnel changes and challenges, but have landed on the soles of The V’s high-heeled boots to record their highly anticipated fourth album ‘OBEY’. Joining founding members Veronica Freeman and Pete Wells are Rikard Stjernquist (Jag Panzer) on drums and Aric Avina (Tynator) on bass. There is an unmistakable swell of excitement building in chat rooms and fan pages online not only for the album, but to also have BENEDICTUM perform at a venue near them soon.
Obey track-listing includes: Dream Of The Banshee; Fractured; Obey; Fighting For My Life; Scream; Evil That We Do; Crossing Over; Cry; Thornz; Die To Love You; Apex Nation; Retrograde
To the world, BENEDICTUM merely says: bow and OBEY!
It is important that the band informs you of two duets on the album; one with A Sound Of Thunder vocalist Nina Osegueda on ‘Thornz’ and the other with the incomparable Tony Martin (Black Sabbath) on the song ‘Cry’. The band is humbled and appreciative!
ICED EARTH – Watch the new ICED EARTH lyric video off their upcoming album Plagues of Babylon:
Stone Says: Man, is this title song for the upcoming ICED EARTH album heavy-duty solid or what?! I’ve been pumped to get this new ICED EARTH album all along and now I’m quadruple mega-pumped!! Simply put, this song kicks incredible Metal ass!! There’s really no other way to put it!! WHOA!
Stu Block (once again) sounds fabulous and the guitars are on fire, in this song! Raphael Saini just pummels the Metal crap out of his kit!! I absolutely cannot wait to buy Plagues Of Babylon, this coming January of 2014!! Metal be thy name!!
Remember when Slipknot‘s Joey Jordison filled in on drums for Korn on the 2007 edition of the Family Values Tour?
Joey will be hitting the road on the ‘Night Of The Living Dreads’ Tour with Korn and Rob Zombie opening up the show every night with his new band Scar The Martyr.
Tickets and VIP packages for the ‘Night Of The Living Dreads’ Tour are on sale now here: http://korn.com/events/
The “NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREADS” tour kicks off Sunday, November 3rd in Reno, Nevada and encompasses 17 dates across the U.S before wrapping November 26th in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
STEELHAMMERmarks the 14th studio album from Germany’s undisputed Heavy Metal champions: U.D.O.. Led by the constant and legendary frontman Udo Dirkschneider, U.D.O. has seized the Metal moment in 2013! Steelhammer sounds just like it’s title! The marketing sticker on the CD jewel case states “Heavy Metal Album Of The Year” and that’s not a bunch of hot air by any stretch. I find Steelhammer to stand up valiantly, amongst the best Metal albums of 2013, myself.
What makes Steelhammer pound and pummel so well is the classic age of Heavy Metal sound that these songs are all wrapped up in. U.D.O.’s guitarists (Andrey Smirnov, Kasperi Heikkinen) have their names written all over the superior Heavy Metal sound that explodes from Steelhammer! Udo’s vocals are so excellent that it’s scary. Long live Udo Dirkschneider!
Udo’s clean vocals are spotlighted (hugely) with Heavy Rain. A ballad on this U.D.O. album does put the brakes on the Heavy Metal tidal wave that carried me through tracks 1 through 4, nonetheless, it is fun hearing Udo sound so much more calm as a vocalist. After all these grand Metal years and catalog of albums that Udo Dirkschneider has given the Metal community, his ballad is given a horns up from this middle-aged hell rat. Book Of Faith is both a symphonic and diverse way to close out Steelhammer; reminding me that Heavy Metal isn’t always about the riff or blast beat.
Old School Metalheads, U.D.O. and Accept fans just have to salivate over Steelhammer! Younger fans of Metal need to buy Steelhammer and hear a tried and true legend sing Heavy Metal… the Udo way. This entire U.D.O. lineup kicks ass, pure and simple. “Heavy Metal Album Of The Year”? With Steelhammer’s Heavy Metal being this memorable to me, I’m sure it has a credible shot.
Band and Crew have gathered and we have begun rehearsals for the Volbeat Tour that kicks off this Friday in Milan. We are really excited to begin this new touring cycle even though it feels like the previous one only ended yesterday.
It will certainly be killer to see you guys out there and hang with my brother Michael and the guys in Volbeat and their team.
On another note: we have been thinking of offering something special to our fans on this tour and here it is:
• A 12” 180g Vinyl EP
• Limited, hand-numbered edition (1000 units only)
• Blood red vinyl
• Heavy duty cardboard sleeve with matte print
Featuring the world premiere of the following songs:
Plagues Of Babylon
If I Could See You
Peacemaker
This is our own project and we are really excited about it. This will be for sale only at the Volbeat shows, first come, first serve!
Please see some impromptu pack shots and an image of the front and back cover art attached.
SINISTER REALM – The third studio album from SINISTER REALM, World OfEvil, was released this past August 20th, via Shadow Kingdom Records. What a True Metal album it is! Filled with captivating songs that are all built on the foundation of Traditional Heavy Metal, World Of Evil has a cemented spot within the top 10 of Metal Odyssey’s Best Of Metal Albums list for 2013. Whoa.
One powerful song heard on World Of Evil is Cyber Villain. The True Metal mastery of SINISTER REALM can be heard by my ears on Cyber Villain; hopefully you too can hail the Metal glory that I’m hearing from this song as well, by taking a loud listen below! Metal be thy name.
SINISTER REALM – Cyber Villain Is Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day!
METAL CHURCH – As reported by Rat Pak Records: Next Tuesday [October 8th] we will randomly draw the names from the list of those who pre-ordered the new Metal Church CD Generation Nothing from us and start sending out the cool grab bag items! Items include:
Metal Church “Generation Nothing” embroidered leather jacket , Skateboard, MC pendant bracelet, The Dark on Vinyl (vintage,) Hand written lyric sheets, 18 x 24 wall tapestry, One-of-a-kind Metal Church Fan bundle – Personal “Thank-You” call from Ronny Munroe and limited print Metal Church road crew shirts.
Pre-order your copy of Metal Church “Generation Nothing” today!
The upcoming (and new) HUMAN FORTRESS album, Raided Land, will be released on November 29th in Europe and December 3rd in the USA, via AFM Records. Metal be thy name.
This is the actual signing page for the petition to get GWAR to play the SuperBowl, which is growing by about 5000 signatures a day… I think we need about two million so lets get on it!
HEY! In the past, whenever I posted random blab, I’ve used the heading: Some Metal And Rock ‘N Roll Thoughts; today I’ve decided not to. No big deal. Change is good, no matter how big or minuscule. It’s Wednesday, September 25th and I absolutely have no clue as to where the first 8 months of 2013 went. Do you?
HEY! I still haven’t really organized my CD collection since moving to Ohio, unless you consider neat and non-alphabetized stacks of CD’s located everywhere in my house an organizational accomplishment! I buy CD’s still cause I’m old school. I buy used and new vinyl albums cause I’m undoubtedly very old school. The new CD I bought yesterday (on CD release Tuesday) is at the top of this post. That’s right. MEGADETH. Countdown To Extinction. LIVE. This CD kicks unadulterated live Metal ass. ‘Nuff said.
HEY! Yesterday, I was searching for the new ONSLAUGHT CD, VI. I couldn’t find it. I will special order this CD from a local (indie) record store in Dayton, Ohio, which is named: OMEGA MUSIC. This is a bona fide used vinyl and CD store that I will proudly shop at! Let’s face it, the indie record shops are our future; large retail chains are consistently downsizing their CD selections. Dummies. Funny thing is, it’s the indie stores that went out of business so many years ago, due to the large CD retailers; and now the market needs MORE indie record shops!
I absolutely cannot get enough of this double live CD from German Thrash Metal Legends: KREATOR. Just a remarkable live release!
HEY! The first time I ever saw MEGADETH was on the DIO Live Eviltour. That’s right! SAVATAGE was the opening band too! Heavy Metal icons, all. Good Metal times. It’s bands like MEGADETH that I cherish, due to the consistency of album releases, touring and (of course) quality of Metal. Thou Shall Never Take Thy Metal Legends For Granted!
HEY! On a (personal) closing note, I’m very, very proud of (Texas) Senator Ted Cruz. His taking action to filibuster on the Senate floor yesterday, into the night and straight through as I write this, to me is admirable. This is The United States Of America and lately it feels like many laws and regulations have been driven down the throats of “We The People” without much debate… if any debate at all. Scary. The issue at hand, regarding Senator Cruz’s filibuster is about Obamacare. This national healthcare law begins to go into effect on October 1st, 2013. It’s a long story. My best advice (for those who are not in the know) is to go back in time and research BOTH the Democrat and Republican arguments, concerning Obamacare.
That’s all I really have to blab about for now. I hope y’all have a GRAND Metal Wednesday and rest of the week! If you like to read MORE of my blabbing about Metal, Metal Buddies, sports, food, politics, critters, monsters, weather, animal rights and (often times) nonsensical stuff, please follow me on twitter! Here’s my twitter link for y’all:
NEWSTED METALHEADS!!!Guitar World is giving you the chance to win a copy of HEAVY METAL MUSIC on vinyl and a signed poster! Two runners-up will win HEAVY METAL MUSIC on CD and an unsigned poster.
Get your hands on the new issue of Guitar World! The November, 2013 issue features Dream Theater’s legendary John Petrucci. Order your copy now, right here: online store.
NIGHT DEMON – Having recently released their self-titled debut EP via Shadow KingdomRecords, Oxnard, California NWOBHM inspired upstarts NIGHT DEMON have announced a series of one-off shows in support of the EP. At the end of September, the band will enter the studio to commence work on the full-length follow-up to their four-song debut. The full-length will be released on a yet-to-be-determined label.
NIGHT DEMON Live Dates:
09/14 @ Bombay – Ventura, CA (Record Release Show!)
10/16 @ Malone’s – Santa Ana, CA w/ Diamond Head & Raven
10/17 @ The Vex Arts – Los Angeles, CA w/ Diamond Head & Raven
10/20 @ The Count’s Vamp’d – Las Vegas, NV w/ Diamond Head & Raven
10/25 @ The Creekside – Santa Barbara, CA
This California trio, featuring members of THE FUCKING WRATH, first started making noise in 2011. It didn’t take long for the band to make a name for themselves with trad-metal maniacs from across the globe. In fact, shortly after establishing an online presence via Bandcamp, the organizers of Germany’s Keep It True Festival offered NIGHT DEMON a place on the fest’s 2014 line-up.
British metallic stylings reminiscent of Angel Witch, Raven and Iron Maiden are kicked into overdrive with an edgier and gritter dose of American venom. Consider NIGHT DEMON mandatory listening for any NWOBHM fan. The Shadow Kingdom Records CD release is remastered from the digital version and offers an undeniably superior sound.
A video for the song “Night Demon,” filmed, directed and produced by the band, is now playing below:
“…raw, ass kicking metal.”– Sounds From the Mead Hall
“The call to join Night Demon’s ritual should be heeded by all those who can trace their metal roots back to the Eighties, or anyone who appreciates metal from the days when the only available prefix was heavy.”– BlackSundayMagazine.net
“Look out for this band; they have something special…” – AveNoctum.com
We have completed recording, mixing, and mastering for the new album “Plagues of Babylon.” It’s been a long summer, but a very productive one. I am very proud of my band mates! Everyone kicked ass, and we made a really special record.
Now, it’s time to try to rest for a few “minutes” before the next chapter of world touring begins.
Best to you all! We will see our European friends on the road with our brothers in Volbeat, then the rest of you on the Worldwide Plagues Tour 2014!”
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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